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Aspen History: Ashcroft Horse Thieves

Aspen Historical Society
One mounted and sepia toned photograph of the town of Ashcroft from the east looking over the town – probably taken from Taylor Pass Toll Road. There is snow on the ground and on the roofs of the buildings. All of the buildings look well kept-up. 1881-

“A short time since a stranger entered Ashcroft riding a gray horse,” observed the Rocky Mountain Sun on September 10, 1881. “Putting his horse up at a stable he commenced ‘taking in’ the town and was soon on terms of intimacy with one or two characters whose reputation was not of the best; several of the citizens concluding that his actions were suspicious determined to watch him. Followed him up a mountain near the town where they suddenly came upon four horses that had been staked out; they also found a bridle and saddle that had been stolen a few nights before from a cabin on Pine Creek. Upon such strong evidence that a theft was intended the party returned to town to await the appearance of the stranger, who, however, took the alarm and left the district, not being willing to furnish the corpse for such a funeral as Ashcroft would have given him. Charles Miller who had been his associate while in town was arrested as an accessory, but there being no evidence against him he was released and given just fifteen minutes to leave town. Understanding the nature of the people he had to deal with he was far on his way to Leadville ere the time expired.” The image above shows the town of Ashcroft, circa 1881.

Aspen Times Weekly

Bar Talk: sway Thai

sway opened its Aspen doors at the beginning of February with nine cocktails on the menu including some options not offered in Austin, such as a Thai coffee martini, fitting in with this mountain town’s espresso martini infatuation.



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